Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Minorities Welfare Minister Palle Raghunath Reddy announced that the State Government would construct a Haj House at Kadapah and also at Vijayawada for making departure arrangements for the Haj Pilgrims from the state.
He made the announcement after inaugurating the Qurrah, (Draw of lots), for selection of Pilgrims for Haj 2016, at Haj House in Nampally here on Tuesday.
He congratulated the Haj pilgrims who were selected in the Qurrah and said that it was the great opportunity they had got and requested them to pray for the progress, prosperity and development of the State and its people. He said that this year the State Government has allocated a budget of over Rs. 700 crores for minorities’ welfare and allocated Rs. 15 crores for Haj Committee. He also said that the State Government was pursuing the case of 4% Muslim Reservation in the Supreme Court by engaging good advocates.
MLC Ahmed Shareef said that the government has allocated Rs. 12 crore for construction of Haj House at Kadapa, where an International Airport is coming up. Similarly at Vijayawada, the Haj House would be conducted on four acres of land.
Minorities Welfare Commissioner Shaik Mohammed Iqbal, AP State Haj Committee members Mastan Shareef, Hussain Basha, Mahboob Saheb, Moulana Mohammed Ilyas Saheb, Mufti Farooq Saheb, Moulana Mohammed Rafi, Momin Ahmed Hussain and Shah Maqdoom Bukhari were also present on this occasion.
A quota of 2052 for Haj 2016 for Andhra Pradesh was allotted, out of which 193 were selected under Reserved Categories, while remaining pilgrims were selected by Qurrah today. (INN)